Two teenagers, a girl and a boy, were found guilty on Tuesday (8th April) by a Leicester crown court of killing an 80-year-old Indian origin man, Bhim Kohli, in a public park near Leicester in September last year. The octogenarian was reportedly brutally attacked by the two teenagers while he was walking his dog near the entrance of Franklin Park, a few metres away from his home. The boy, who was 14 at that time, cast racial slurs at Kohli before fatally punching him without provocation, and the girl, who was 12 at that time, recorded the incident on the phone while laughing and encouraging the boy.
As per reports, the brutal attack left Kohli’s neck and three ribs fractured. He was admitted to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries the next day. After the attack, Kohli told a paramedic that the boy had racially abused him and was pushed, punched and kicked. The video of the incident recorded by the girl was played before the jury. It showed Kohli on his knees and the boy slapping him with his slider.
The teens attacked Kohli without any provocation
From the side of the prosecution, Harpreet Sandhu KC, drew the jury’s attention to the callous manner in which Kohli was attacked. Sandhu told the jury that the teens had no reason to attack Kohli, who was defenseless and vulnerable. “You heard that slap, you heard the slider making contact with Mr Kohli’s face. There was nothing for the boy to fear from an 80-year-old man who was on his knees. It was pure violence used by the boy, pure violence encouraged by the girl,” said Sandhu. He added that the girl was aware of what was about to happen. “The girl made a noise. That noise was her laughing. She laughed as the boy assaulted Mr Kohli. She knew there would be violence, and she had a desire to capture it – and capturing it provided encouragement for the violence to be meted out, ” Sandhu asserted. The boy has been remanded, while the girl has been let out on bail. The sentencing in the case has been scheduled for 20th May.
Police confirm racial element in the attack
Leicestershire Detective Chief Inspector Mark Sinski, who led the investigation in the case, termed it the ‘most shocking case’ of his career. Detective Chief Inspector Sinski said that the case was unusual and had an element of racism. “He was just enjoying a stroll with his dog during the course of that evening, and he was set about totally unprovoked in what was a vicious and fatal attack. There was a racial element – and Mr Kohli told us that himself. He said he had been racially slurred, and I won’t use the term, it’s a repugnant term. It certainly doesn’t fit in with that community. That was a community that was extremely close, happy and they all lived in harmony. Racism didn’t feature, Sinski was quoted as saying.
Kohli’s family has been left shaken to the core by the attack. Kohli is described as a gentle, social and non-aggressive person by people who know him. Kohli’s daughter, Susan Kohli, said that the family felt anger towards his attacker. “We feel anger and disgust towards the teenagers who took Dad away from us. They humiliated an 80-year-old man, assaulted him, filmed it and laughed at him,” said a grieving Susan.”It was horrendous, we have never seen him like that before. We all thought he would go to the hospital to be treated, and he would then be fine. We never imagined he wouldn’t return home. My dad passed away before our eyes, surrounded by his family,” she said. “Dad did not deserve this, and we wouldn’t wish this pain on anyone else,” she added.
